for what she deemed their "opposition to Christ and His gospel."

No steps seem to have been taken by Bunyan's wife, or any of his
influential friends, to carry out either of the expedients named by Hale.
It may have been that the money needed was not forthcoming, or, what
Southey remarks is "quite probable,"--"because it is certain that Bunyan,
thinking himself in conscience bound to preach in defiance of the law,
would soon have made his case worse than it then was."

At the next assizes, which were held in January, 1662, Bunyan again made
strenuous efforts to get his name put on the calendar of felons, that he
might have a regular trial before the king's judges and be able to plead
his cause in person. This, however, was effectually thwarted by the
unfriendly influence of the county magistrates by whom he had been
committed, and the Clerk of the Peace, Mr. Cobb, who having failed in his
kindly meant attempt to induce "Neighbour Bunyan" to conform, had turned
bitterly against him and become one of his chief enemies. "Thus," writes
Bunyan, "was I hindered and prevented at that time also from appearing
before the judge, and left in prison." Of this prison, the county gaol
of Bedford, he remained an inmate, with one, short interval in 1666, for
the next twelve years, till his release by order of the Privy Council,
May 17, 1672.




CHAPTER VI.


The exaggeration of the severity of Bunyan's imprisonment long current,